Automatic shut-off mechanism for incinerator valves



2 sheets-sen 1 E. KENER, JR

AUTOMATIC SHUT-OFF' MECHANISM FOR INCINVERATOR VALVES July 14, 192s.

July 14, 1925.

E. KENER, JR

AUTOMATIC SHUT-OFF MECHANISM FOR INCINERATOR VALVES Filed Feb. 12. 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Qc, ii/9er? fr Patented July 14,1925. i

WUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARDKENER, JR., F BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

AUTOMATIC SHUT-OFF MECHANTSM FOR INCINERATOR VALVES.

Application led February 12, 1924. Serial No. 692,394.

control the supply of fuel to incinerators and similar installations and has for its object the provision of such amechanism which can be set manually to hold the valve open until the high pile of refuse has burned down to a low pile of ashes and then operates automatically to close the valve so that the flame is extinguished, thereby conserving fuel and avoiding undue heating of the compartment containing the incinerator.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a fragmentary section of an incinerator embodying my improvement and showing the part in one position. Figure 2 is a horizontal section taken on line 2 2, Fig. 1.

Figures 3 and 4 areJ views similar to Figure 1 and showing the parts in different positions. Figures 5 and 6 are fragmentary cross sections, on an enlarged scale, taken on the .correspondingly numbered lines in Figure 3.

Similar characters of 'reference indicate like parts throughout thel several views.

The numeral represents the refuse receptacle or combustion chamber which receives the garbage or other material which is to be destroyed by cremation. This material is introduced'into this chamber throughl a filling inlet 11 (0 in its upper part which is normally 'closed by a door 12 and the noncombustible gases resulting in the destruc-4 tion of the garbage are carried from the top of thefrefuse chamber through a iue to a chimney leading to the exterior of the building. The bottom of the mass of garbage rests on a grate 13 which may be dum ed for discharging the ashes into a pit 14 be ow the refuse chamber, this pit having a discharge opening which may be closed by a door 15. The grate is preferably constructed in two sections and between the same is arranged a hollow bridge 16 which has a V-sha ed top and is open on its underside and orms a iousing. Arranged centrally within the refuse chamber is a vertically telescopic burner which is composed of a plurality of'sections 17, 18, 19 and 2() of progressively smaller diameter from the lowermost to the uppermost. burner section is arranged in a central opening 21 in the central part of the bridge and prov1ded with an outwardly facing external shoulder 22 adapted to engage with the underside of the bridge for limiting its up-l -Ward movement. Each of the upper burner sections is provided at its lower end with an outwardly faclng external shoulder 23 which The lower end of the lowermost is adapted to engage with an inwardly facing internal shoulder24 at the upper end of the next lower burner section for the purpose of limiting the upward extension of the burner sections. The latter arer thus extended by any suitable means preparatory to filling or garbage and thereafter the top of the pile of garbage is engaged by a spreading disk or plate 25 which is provided on its underside by spacing ribs 26'and is connected by a link 27 or otherwise with the upper end of the uppermost burner section This uppermost burner section is provided with perforations so as to permit the gas which is supplied at the lower end of the lowermost section to issue laterally from the uppermost burner section and burn in a flame which overspreads the top of the pile of garbage below the spreading plate and thereby consumes the pile from the top down and the gases issuing therefrom. Asv the consumption of the garbage or refuse progresses the top of the pile gradually lowers and as the spreading plate res-ts thereon by gravity the same drops by4 gravity in the same measure and the burner sections also gradually telescope one within the other. The descent of the combustion chamber with refuse the several burner sections is limited vby ene gagement with the as delivery pipe 28 which is arranged through t is valve,andfa rock arm 33 on this plug for turning the same into an open.

or closed position. When the pile of refuse has been completely burned and reduced to a low pile of ashes the several sectionsof the burner have been completely telescoped and most of them rest at their lower ends on the bridge and is provided centrally with an up- The gas odelivery pipe pllug 32 which controls the passage vCFI .upon the completion of the nesting action of the several burner sections which occurs when the pile of ashes has reached its lowest practical level. In its preferred construction this shut-ofi` mechanism is constructed as follows:

The numeral 34 represents an upright supporting plate which for convenience may be mounted on the side of the gas delivery pipe and provided at its inner end with a' vertical flange having a guide-opening 36. The numeral 37 represents a longitudinally reciprocating and vertically oscillating latch which slides with its inner end in -the guide opening 36 while its'outer end lis connected by a' link or rod 38 with the rock arm 33. Intermediate of its ends the latch engages its upper edge with a fulcrum pin or lug 39 which is arranged on the supporting plate. 0n its outer part this latch is provided with an vupwardly projecting tension lug 40 which together' with the body of the latch `forms an angular lever. This lug is connected with therinner part of the lsupportinor plate by "a spring 41 arranged lengthwise above the latch and the fulcruln pin so that the tension of this spring not only tends -to pull the latch horizontally inward, but also to tilt the same so that its inner or front end is depressed and its outer or rear end is. elevated. On its inner end part the latch is provided with an L-shaped locking slot having a horizontal lower part .42 and a vertical front part 43 which eX- tends upwardly from the inner or front end of said horizontal art and forms an inwardly facing shoul er 44 between these slot portions'.

Arranged on the supporting plate and projecting into the locking slot is a locking lug or abutment 49 which is mounted on the supporting plate. Pivotally mounted on the central part of the gas delivery pipe by means of a pin 45 is a vertically swinging trip lever `having an outer or rear arm 46 ,adapted to engage with the underside of the front end of the latch and an inner or front arm 47 arranged in the path of the innermost member of the telescopic sections of the burner.

For the purpose of setting the shut-ofi'` mechanism for opening the gas supply valve after the refuse chamber has been filled and the burner has been distended and the spreadinglplate engaged with the top of the pile of refuse, the handle- 50 of the valve plug is turned horizontally outward so as to open this valve and permit gas to flow up through the burner and issue fromL the outwardly time the latch` is turned so that the shoulder ue to the link connection with- `the rock arm of the valve, and at the same 44 of the-latch engages with the locking i lug 49 'and holds the valve in its open position. At this time the triplever is turned by gravity so thatJ its outer or rear arm is depressed and its inner or front arm is elevated, as shown in Figure 1. The parts remain in thisposition and the gas continues to 'flow to the outlet of the burner until the refuse is entirely consumed from the top down and the height of the pile is finally reduced to a low plle of ashes at which time the burner sections are wholly nested and rest on the gas delivery pipe. As the innermost burner section approaches closely to its lowermost position the-lower end of the same engages with the same whereby the outer or rear arm of this lever is caused to engage the underside of the front end .of the latch and begin to lift the same, as shown in Figure 4. During the last part of the'downward movement of the innermost section of the Vburner and before the same rests on the gas deliver pipe' the trip lever has been t-urned su ciently to disengage `the latch from the locking lug, and the instant this occurs the spring 41 pulls the latch inwardly until the outer end of the longitudinal part of the lockingcslot engages the locking lug, as shown in Figure 3, thereby causing the plug ofthe gas valve to be turned inthe direction for closing the same and shutting olf the further supply of gasto. the burner. The supply of gas is by this means automatically arrested when the refuse has been re duced to ashes thereby avoiding the necessity 'of watching the incinerator for this purpose and also effecting a saving in gas asv Well as undue wear on the apparatus.

In the preferred construction of theilinkage 38 the same is made up of a lurality of links, the outermost one 381 of L outer end curved as shown in Figure 2. By

this it is possible to produce a straight outward pull from the valve arm 33 on the latch 37 through the medium of the linkage'for setting the shut-ofi` mechanism when opening the valve, in which case the linkage vis arranged alongside of the valve', as 'shown in full lines in Figure 2, also permitting a straight inward pull by the latch on the valve arm for closing the valve automatical- 1y and also permitting the valve plug to be turned into a closed position independently of the latch when it is desired to stop burning the pile of refuse before the same is entirely consumed. When the valve is thus closed manually, as just described, thev linkage simply folds or doubles up the requisite extent to permit the valvefarm`33 to turn "refuse, and having 1. An incinerator comprising a combus-l tion chamber adapted to receive the pile of refuse to be destroyed, a gas burner adapted to provide a flame for consuming said a member which descends by gravity as the level of the pile of -refuse lowers while being consumed by said flame, and automatic means for shuttingoif said valve which are actuated by the descent of said-member to its lowered position.

2. An incinerator comprising a combustion chamber adapted to receive the pile of v refuse to be destroyed, a gas burner adapted to provide a flame for consuming said refuse, and having a member `which descends by gravity as the level of the pile of refuse lowers while being consumed by said flame, and automatic means for shuttingoffsaid valve which are actuated by the' descent of said member to its lowered position and which comprise a movable latch which is connected with the closure of saidv valve, a stationary abutment adapted to be engaged by said latch for holding the same in its rearward position in which the valve closure is open, a spring connected with-said latch and adapted to move the same forwardly when free to shut said valve closure, and means for transmitting motion from said movable burner member to said latch for disengaging the latter from said abutment.

3. An incinerator comprising a combustion chamber adapted .to receive the pile of refuse to be destroyed, a gas 'burner adapted to provide a flame for consuming said refuse, and having a member which descends by gravity as the level of the 'pile of refuse lowers while being consumed by said fiame, .and automatic means for' shutting-olf saidvalve which are actuated by the descent of said member to its lowered position and which comprise a movable latch which is connected with the closure of said valve,a stationary abutment adapted to be engaged by said latch for holding the same in its rearward position in which the valve closure is open, a spring connected with said latch and adapted to move the lsame orwardly when free to shut said valve closure, and a tri lever having one arm arranged in the pat of said movable burner member so as to be shifted thereby and adapted to engage its other arm with said latch for disengaging the same from said abutment.

4. An incinerator comprising a combustion chamber adapted to receive the pile of refuseto be destroyed, a gas burner ada ted to provide a flame for consuming said re use, and having a member which descends by gravity as the level of the pile of refuse vlowers while being consumed by said flame,

and automatic means for shutting-0E said valve which are actuated by the descent of said member to its lowered position and which comprise a movable latch which is connected with the closure of said valve, a stationary abutment adapted to be engaged by said latch for-holding the same in its rearward position in which the valve closure is open, a spring connected with said latch and adapted to movethe same forwardl when free to shut said valve closure, a ulcrum pin on which said latch is adapted to slide and turn, and a trip lever having one arm arranged in the path of said movable burner member so as to be shifted thereby and adapted to engage its other arm with said latch for disengaging the same from said abutment.

5. An incinerator comprising a combustion chamber adapted to receive the pile of refuse to be destroyed, a gas burner adapted to direct a flame against said refuse for consuming the same and having a movable member supported by the top of said pile and to descend therewith as the same is redhced to ashes, a conduit for supplying gas to said burner, av valve arranged in said conduit and having a rotary plug for controlling the flow of gas and an arm on said plug, and automatic shut-oft' mechanism which is actuated by'said movable burner member and operates to close said plug when said burner member reaches its lower-i most position.

6. An incinerator comprising a combustion chamber adapted to receive the pile of refuse to be destroyed, a gas burner adapted to direct a ame against said refuse for consuming the same and having a movable member supported by the top of said pile and to descend therewith as the same is reduced to ashes, aconduit for-supplying gas to said burner, a valve arranged in said conduit andhaving a rotary plug for controlling the flow of gas and an arm on said plug, a latch connected -with said armand having an `L-shaped slot forming a forwardly facing locking shoulder,

astationary i abutment adapted to be engaged by said a member supported by the top of said pile and vto descend therewith as the same is reduced to ashes, a conduit for supplymg gas to said burner, a valve arranged 1n said conduit and having a rotary plug for controlling the flow of gas and an arm on said plug, a latch connected with said arm and having an L-shaped slot forming a forwardly fac,- ing locking shoulder and an upwardly projecting tension lug, a spring connected with said lug, a fulcrum pin on which said latch is adapted to slide and turn, a stationary abutment adapted to be engaged by said shoulder and hold said latch in its rearward position, and means actuated by the descent of said movable burner member and adapted to disengage said latch from said abutment.

8. An incinerator comprising av combustion chamber adapted to receive the pile of refuse to be destroyed, a gas burner adapted to direct a llame against said,refuse for consuming the same and having a movable member supported bythe top of said pile and to descend therewith as the same is reduced to ashes, 'a conduit for supplying gas to said burner, a valve arranged in said conduit and having a rotary plug for controlling'the low`of gas and an arm on said plug, a latch connected with said arm and having an L-shaped slot forming a forwardly facing locking shoulder and an upwardly projecting tension lug, a spring conwith said latch for disengaging the same from said abutment. A

9. An incmerator comprising a combustion chamber adapted to receive a pile of' refuse to be consumed, a burner for directing a flame toward said pile, a fuel supply conduit for supplying fuel to said burner, a valve in said conduit for controlling the passage of fuel and having a rotary plug, a handle on said plug for operating the same manually, and means for closin said plug automaticallycomprising a latch, an abutment which is adapted to be engaged by said latch for holding the latter in a'set position, means responsive to a lowering of the height of said pile for disengaging said latch from saidabutment, and a link connecting said latch with said arm.

EDWARD KENER, JR. 

